New Orleans here we come!!

I always love getting advice from people that live or have been there, I feel its more accurate than just "searching" on tourist sites..

We will have 3 days left after the 4th to explore other cities and places.. I haven't figured if we are going to Florida, east or west after that LOL It will be a last minute splurge explore adventure LOL off the cuff, ad lib thing

http://www.tabasco.com/avery-island/ I'm not certain if you'll go outside of New Orleans but this place where they make Tabasco on Avery Island is interesting and I don't even eat tobasco. You can tour the Jungle Gardens and hang out with the alligators!

Yeah the week of the 4th you'll encounter the heat, humidity and possibly thunderstorms. So when you hit the rain you can duck into a place to eat or shop. I would walk around and look at the plantation homes, check out the antebellum style buildings in the heart of New Orleans. In places you can still see hurricane damage from Katrina in some wards but its getting better.

You can stop in sometime for coffee and beignets at Café du Monde on Decatur but I feel its always crowded with tourists and locals. I prefer French Market coffee on Magazine & Julia.

I don't think its necessary to ride the trolley car but you can if its your thing, New Orleans is very walkable to me. Just be careful as you normally are in any given city and you'll be fine and have fun down there. I usually eat in the side street places/dives versus chain or the popular joints since the food is better and its a little less crowded sometimes.

Be prepared for heat, humidity and thunderstorms. Enjoy the food. Watch out for people selling timeshares (if they still do that...I was there 15 yrs ago) and avoid them like the plague. I wouldn't recommend the trolleys as they are often very, very, crowded (not enough seats and barely enough standing room...people practically standing/sitting on top of you) and they are hot inside. If it's a hot, humid day and there's a thunderstorm, they shut all the windows on the trolleys and you can imagine what that's like when it's a hot, humid day and you are in a metal box packed with people with the windows all shut. Riding the trolleys under such conditions...my most vivid memory of New Orleans. I did enjoy the swamp tour. Evidently, those giant swamp rats (nutria) are good eats...at least that's what we were told by the swamp tour people.

My friends and I went on a day walking tour and a ghost night tour both were great. We went down over Halloween and did a murder mystery stay and did a little sight seeing in between events. FYI you will need the correct change when riding the street cars.

Yes, see the Quarter, but also explore the rest of the city. Go out to Destrahan plantation, ride the street car down St. Charles, go shopping on Magazine, hit a museum or two. It is hard to go wrong with food. Skip chain restaurants and you should be fine- though I have been disappointed in every po boy I've had at touristy spots- Domilise's is my favorite for those. Someone mentioned barbecue shrimp- it is good, but my Midwestern husband was not prepared for what it is. It is shrimp cooked in a seasoned butter sauce and has nothing to do with a grill or barbecue sauce, just FYI. And muffalattas are huge. Get a half and split it if you are going to have one. Have fun! Be safe.

Bourbon Street ! And you have to go in the evening. That's when the REAL fun begins. One thing you should be aware of is that there are a lot of sex clubs there now. This way you won't be too shocked when you see them. ;)

There are lots of great places to eat in New Orleans. My friend took me here. He said that it's popular with the lcoals. The spinach dip was absolutely amazing.

And if you feel up to it... go to one of the voodoo shops. I went to Madame Laveau's House of Voodoo. I found it fascinating. Oh, they don't let you take pictures inside. They threaten to put a HEX on you if you do. I didn't want to push my luck, so I didn't take photos. LOL !!

the touristy thing is Beignets at Cafe Du Monde. Meh. I could take it or leave it. Sis & her youngest really enjoyed them when we were there last year. Fair warning - NOLA coffee is very strong! I don't drink coffee at all, but they are known for very strong coffee with chicory

I have never ever been down south... so for a week and on our honeymoon we are planning on going to New Orleans then who knows where...

Anything special I need to see or do down there? Like favorite restaurants? Specialty stores or events or adventures?

We are adventure people and love to do things ... so one of the things we are planning is going on those huge fan boats for a swamp tour... which I am really looking forward to, we are also huge walkers and hikers.

We do plan on seeing the 4th of July and the fireworks in New Orleans as well.. It will be during the first week of July that we are going to be going down there.. So I am starting to plan things to do LOLOL

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